Lubricating system for power-driven washing mechanism



Feb. 811927.

P. E. GELDHOF LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR POWER DRIVEN WASHING MECHANISM Filed May 7, 1925 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII I R s w H r. R 1g Fan 5 m n Patented Feb. 8, 1927i UNITED ir ass j ,IPETER E. GELDHOF, OE SYRACUSE, NEW "YORK, ASSIGNOR-TO SYRACUSE WASHING MACHINE CORZFORATION, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK.

Application filed May '1,

' .of the vat or tu by means of a powerdriven rock arm which is fulcrumed at one end to a swinging link on the frame of the machine and has its other-end operatively connected to the plungerwhile its intermediate portion is connected by a pitman to a suitable power driven crank shaft for imparting rocking movement thereto and thereby transmitting reciprocal motion to the plunger and to the washing mechanism carried thereby.

The main object of the invention is to provide. a more efiicient means for lubricating the various bearings on the moving parts from a single reservoir and to" arrange the and inter reservoir in such manner that the 011 may Y conveniently refilled by the operator without laborious exertion or danger from the operation of the moving parts.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the oiling system will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings; v

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a washing machine showing the parts to be lubricated from the'same source'of supply.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line.22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is atop plane of the detached oil reservoir and adjacent portions of the distributing pipes leading therefrom- 4 Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken in the plane of line 4-4, Figure 1.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood I have shown a plati'orm 1 of the main supporting frame upon which the bottom of the tub or vat as is tral opening in adapted to rest. a r

A tubular post -v-3 --eg'rtends thru a centhe bottom of the vat and is provided with opposed flanges -4 and -5- adapted to engage the upper and lower faces ofsaid bottom,thejlower'end of thetubular post .3 being threaded and en gaged by a nut 6- which also engages the lowcr flanged member 5-- ,for .clamping the post and member 5 in operative position on the bottom of the vat.

A plunger 7 is reciprocally movable in .a suitable nut 8.

LUBnIcA'rme svs'rnnr ron'rownn-nmvnit WASHING mncuamsm.

1925. Serial m. 28,604.

the tubular post 3- and is adapted to carry at its upper end a suitable washing mechanism, not necessary to herein illustr ate,

or describe, the lower end of the plunger bein reduced and threaded for A collar is secured to the 7.- between the nuts 6 an allowthe desired vertical movement of the plunger and washing; mechanism carried thereby within the vat 2;

An additional collar 12- is'loosely mounted upon the upright shaft 7- d1- rectl below the collar -.-'9- and disk -11-- for ictional engagement with said disk and is adapted to cooperate with the collar 9- osed disk -11--- to .form a frictional drive clutch for transmitting rotary a purpose hereinafter described. I

A yoke -13 is loosely mounted upon the receiving motion to the plunger in a manner and for tplunger I a sufficient distance from the nut -6- to shaft or plunger 7- between the lower I v face of the collar -12 and nut -8-' and.

is provided with ppfposite' radially projecting studs -14-- or receiving the adjacent bifurcated end of a vertically movable o erating lever 15-- which extends radially from the collar -13 and shaft -7- towardone side'of the tub and-has its other end pivotally connected at -17' said lower end of a swinging link link having its upper end pivotally connected at -18'' to a suitable bracket 19- on the underside of the platform 1 thus permitting the link to swing inwardly and assumes difthe axis of. a rectilinear outwardly as the lever '15- ferent angular positions about the pivot 16- for. producing motion of the plunger 7. A driving shaft 20- is journaled in one side of a gear case -21--on the underside of the platform 1- driven by an suitable source of power; necessary to erein illustrate or describe.

The crank arm -22- is pivotally con--. nected atv ,-Q3-to one end. of a pitman,

and is adapted to'be.

not

-.-24-, the latter having its other end pivotally connected at 25--- to. the intermediate portion of the lever 15--, said pit- I man servin to transmit v reciprocal rocking motion to t e leveras the-crank shaft -:-20 is rotated An a ice

ditional 26-?- is'pivoted I end to the underside of the platform 1 and has its other end connected'to the lever to assist in raisin the inner end of the lever and plunger together with the parts carried by said plunger and; thereby to reduce the load upon the motor power transmitted to the shaft Lubficating system.

An oil reservoir -3()- is secured bybolts 31- to the underside of the platform -lnear the periphery thereof so that one end of the reservoir may protrude slightly beyond said periphery to permit the convenient refilling of the reservoir with oil when oil receivin desired.

As illustrated this reservoir is provided with a plurality of, in this instance, three pockets 32, -32' and -32" which extend slightly beyond the periphery of the platform 1 where the projecting ends are normally covered by a movable closure 33- which is hinged at one end at 34 to the adjacent edge of the reservoir and has its other end provided with a finger piece 35 by which it may be rocked to and from its closed position as may be necessary for refilling and protecting the oil containin pockets against accumulations of dust and other foreign matter.

The upper edge of the lever -15 is provided with a lengthwise oil containing channel or pocket 36 having branch passages -37, --38 and -39- leading respectively to the pivotal bearings 25--, 28 and --16, said channel also containing a lengthwise strip 40 of felt or equivalent absorptive material capable of retaining a considerable quantity of oil absorbed thereby for continuous distribution thru the branch passages +37 38, and 39- to their respective bearings.

The upper end of the pitman 24- is provided with an oil pocket 41 in which is placed a felt or other absorbent wick 42 having a portion thereof projected upwardly to. form'a wiper -43 for a purpose presently described, the pocket 41 being provided with branch passage 44r leading to the pivotal bearing 23 for lubricating the same. Y

The upper end of the link 17- is also provided with an oil pocket 45 having a discharge passage --45. thru the bottom thereof and directly over the corresponding end of the channel 36 in the lever 15 to allow the oil'from the pocket -4=5-- to gradually drop into the underlying portion increase of the channel 36- and on to the adjacent end of the felt strips 40 which when saturated serves to distribute the oil to the several branch passages 39, 38 and 37 and thence to the corresponding pivthrust bearing faces of the collar -12 and The upper end of the yoke l3 is also provided with oil passages l9and branch passages -'50 leading therefrom to the ends of the yoke for lubricating the pivotal connections between the yoke and adjacent ends of the lever 15 as shown more clearly in Figure 2. g

The reservoir 30- is preferably arranged directly over the upper end of the link 17 and has one of its pockets as -32 provided with a downwardly extending discharge tube 51-- leading from the bottom thereof directly into the oil well l5 in the upper end of the link -17.

' The pocket 32 is provided with an illwardly and downwardly extending pipe 52 having its discharge end 52 directly over the oil pocket 4t6- in the collar -12 for supplying oil thereto. The pocket 82 is also provided with an inwardly and downwardly projecting pipe 53 having its inner end disposed directly over and in close proximity to the wiper 4l3 in the upper end of the pitman 24 so that as the pitman is moved lengthwise of the pipe f53 by the rotation of the crank arm -22 the wipeir 13 will intermittingly brush across the open inner end of the pipe While the absorbentmembers 42 and 40 serve to retain and to distribute the oil deposited in their respective chambers to the passages leading therefrom.

The inner end ofthe lever 15- is provided with opposed shoulders -54L'- and 54'-in longitudinally spaced relation for engaging a Tag 55- on the collar 12-- as the lever l5 is rocked vertically from one extreme position to the other for imparting an intermittent rotary motion to the plunger shaft -+7 and washing mechanism carried thereby and causing said .washing of the pitman 24 for reciprocating the yoke 13 rectilinearly or vertically a distance equal to the throw of the adjacent end of the lever.

Now, as the yoke 13 is moved upwardly it will force the collar 12, disk 11 and collar 9- together with the shaft 7- in the same direction and as these parts approach the limit of their upward movement the shoulder -54'- will engage the adjacent side of the lug 55- and;

thereby of the collar efiect a slightly angular movement -"-12 and thruthe medium of the friction disk -11 will also produce a corresponding angular movement of the collar -'9-, shaft -7- and parts carried by saidshaft.

Under these conditions the weight of the shaft -7- and parts carried thereby will be borne by the disk -11- and collar 12 to produce SUIIICIQIItYfI'lCtiOII for effecting the angular movement of the shaft. I Now, as the lever 15- is moved downwardly, the resistance of the washing mechanism against the clothes and washmg fluid in the vat 2 will tend to oppose the downward movement thereby effecting a release of the friction grip between the collars -9- and -12 for retaining the shaft 7- and parts carried thereby in the angularly adjusted position so that when the lever approaches the limit of its downward movement the shoulder 54 will engage the adjacent side of the lug -55 and restore the collar 12 to its starting position, the oil pocket -46-, the extension -12 "being of sufli'cient circumferential length to maintain registration with the-adjacent end '-52- of the pipe -52 in all positions of angular adjustment of the collar 12-.

During these '.operations of the various moving parts the oil from the reservoir -30 will be slowly fed, preferably drop, bv drop to the pockets -41- and I 46-, the oil from the pocket '45 being allowed to pass drop by drop thru the restricted passage -26 on to the underlying end of the channel 36- and thence thru the, restricted passage -39to' the bearing -16.

The oil deposited in the pocket --41 will flowdrop by drop thru the passage 44 to the bearing -23 while the oil deposited in the pocket -46-- will flow thru the restricted passages 47-, 48-,

49- and 50- to the adjacent portions of the shaft -7 and to the trunnions '-14-.- The oil which is deposited in the channel eating the same,

stricted passages 37 and -38 to the bearing 28. and -25, it being understood that the oil in the pocket 45- will also lubricate the bearing 18- thus completing the automatic lubrication of the various bearings from a single source of supply such. as the reservoir -30-. In this connection reference is made .to the pending application of- G. C. Wilkinson, Hedglon and Geldhof, vSerial No. 707,141, filed May 17 1924, in which applicant is one of the joint inventors. What I claim is: v 1. The combination with a lever supporting link, a lever actuating pitman, a lever actuated yoke, 'a lever having separate pivotal connections with the length, the piston and the yoke, an oil reservoir, and means for conducting oil from said reservoir to the several pivotal connections.

2. The combination with a wash tub, a

supporting frame therefor, ashaft reciprocally movable vertically thi'u an opening in the bottom of the tub, a bearing. for the lower end of the shaft provided with radially projecting trunnion bearings, a lever f pivotally connected to said trunnion bearings, means for rocklng the lever 1n reverse directions for reclprocatmg the shaft bea'r ing vertically, means for transmitting motion from the shaft bearing to the shaft including an angularly adjustable collar hav-' ing an oil pocket communicating with'the shaft bearing and with the trunnion bear- ,ings, of an oil reservoir, and means for conducting oil from said reservoir to the oil' pocket.

3. In apower driven washingmechanism, a vertically movable plunger, a lever pivoted to swing about a horizontal axis and operatively connected to the plunger for reciproa power driven crank shaft, a pitman actuated bythe crank shaft and pivotally connected to'the lever for rocking said lever about its pivotal axis, said lever' having a lengthwise oil channel in its upper side provided with branch oil passages leading .to both of said pivots, and automatic means for depositing oil into said channel to flow along said channel from one pivot to the other as the lever is rocked vertically by the pitman. r

4. A power driven washing mechanism as in claim 3 in which an oil absorbent strip is seatedin said channel and extends from one pivot to .the other pivot for controlling the distribution of oil in the channel to both of said pivots. i 5. In a power driven washing machine having a wash tub vertically of the tub, means for operating said plunger including a lever support, a pitman and a and aplunger movable through an opening in the bottom lever having a journal bearing on the sup port and a pivotal bearing for the link, said lever having a lengthwise oil channel in its upper side communicating with both of said 5 pivotal bearings and connections between the lever and plunger for reciprocating said plunger.

6. In a power driven washing mechanism having a wash tub and a plunger movable l vertically through an opening in thebottom of the tub, means including a friction clutch ior reciprocating said plunger and for imparting thereto an intermittent angular motion as the plunger isreciprocated in reverse 1 directions, one of the clutch members being loosely mounted'on the plunger below its companion clutch member for angular movement relatively to the plunger and provided with an oil pocket communicating with its bearing on.the plunger for lubricating the same, and meansfor automatically feeding oil into said pocket.

7. In a power driven washing mechanism having a wash tub, a plunger movable verti- 'cally through an opening in the bottom of the tub, and a supporting frame for the tub in combination with a link having its upper end pivoted to the frame and provided with.

an oil pocket, a lever having one end pivoted to the lower end of the link and its other end 'operatively connected to the plunger for reciprocating the same, means including a crank and pitman for operating said lever to reciprocate the'plunger, said pit'man having pivotal connection with the intermediate portion of the lever, the lever being provided with an oil channel in itsupper side communicating with the pivotal connections of the lever with the link and pitman for supplying 40 oil to both of said pivots an oil reservoir in a plane above the pocket in the upper end of the link, means forfeeding oil from the reservoir into the pocket, and means for feeding oil from the pocket into the channel in the upper side of the lever.

' 8. In a power driven washing mechanism having a wash tub and a plunger movable vertically through an opening in the bottom of the tub in combination with means for reciprocating said plunger including a rotary crank arm and a pitman pivotally connected to said crank arm and provided with an oil pocket in its upper end communicating with the pivotal connection between the crank arm and pitman, an oil reservoir, and means for feeding oil from the reservoir to the oil, pocket in the upper end of the pitman.

9. lna power driven washing mechanism, a lever pivoted to swing vertically about a horizontal axis, power driven means for opaeiaeea yoke having 011 passages therein leading to its pivotal connection with the lever and to its bearing for the plunger, a collar loosely mounted on the plunger above the yoke and provided with an oil pocket communicating with the oil passages in the yoke and with its journal bearing for the plunger, connections between the lever and collar for effecting the angular movement of the collar as the lever is rocked in reverse directions, means for transmitting said angular ,movement from the collar to the plunger, and automatic means for depositing oil in said pocket during said angular and ,reciprocatory movements;

10. In a power driven washing mechanism, a wash tub, a supporting frame for the wash tub, an upright link having its upper end pivoted to the frame and provided with an oil pocket communicating with the pivotal bearing forethe link, an oil reservoir supported on the frame above said pocket, means for conducting oil from the reservoir to the pocket, a lever having one end pivoted to the lower end of the link to swing vertically and provided'witha lengthwise oil channel in its 'upper side communicating with its pivotal connection with the link,

means for discharging oil by gravity from said pocket into the channel, a yoke pivotally mounted upon .the other end of the lever to be reciprocated vertically thereby, a plunger carried by said yoke, and movable vertically therewith-through an opening in the bottom of the wash tub, a crank shaft between the yoke and link, and a pitman actuated by the crank shaft and pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the lever for rocking the same about its pivotal connection with the link and thereby reciprocating the yoke and plunger, said lever having an oil passage leading fro'm its pivotal connection with the pitman to the oil channelin the upper side of the lever for receiving oil therefrom.

11. In a power driven washing mechanism, a wash tub. a supporting frame for the tub, an upright link having its upper end pivoted to the frame and provided with an oil pocket communicating with its pivotal connection with the frame, an oil reservoir supported on the frame above the link and discharging by gravity into said poket,

a plunger reciprocally movable vertically.

through an opening in the bottom of the tub,

and means including a lever pivoted to the lower end of the link for reciprocating said plunger, said lever having a lengthwise channel in its upper side communicating with its pivotal connection with the link, said oil pocket in the upper end of the link being provided with means for discharging oil therefrom into said channel.

12. In a power driven washing mecha-- nism, a lever pivotally supported at one end to rock vertically, a yoke pivotally mounted upon the other end of the lever to be reciprocated thereby, a vertically movable plunger actuated by the yoke, a crank shaft having a pitman pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the lever for operating the same, said yoke and lever having oil a crank shaft, and a pitman having its up-' per end pivoted to the crank shaft and provided with an oil pocket communicating with the adjacent pivot to supply oil thereto, the lower end of said pitman being pivotally connected to the intermediateportion of the lever, an oil reservoir in a plane above the pivoted end of the lever and provided with means for discharging oil therefrom into the pocket in the upper end of the pitman.

14:. In a power driven washing mechanism, a lever pivotally supported at one end to rock vertically, a yoke pivotally mounted upon the other end of the lever to move therewith, a plunger journaled in the yoke to move vertically therewith and having an independent angular movement, means actuated by the vertical rocking movement of the lever for effecting an angular movement of the plunger in one direction relatively to the yoke, said means including a friction collar tight on the shaft and a companion friction collar loose on the shaft between the tight collar and yoke, saidloose collar and yoke being provided with oil passages leading to the plunger and to the pivotal connection of the yoke with the lever, and means for automatically feeding oil by gravity to the passage in the collar.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of April, 1925.

1 PETER E. GELDHOF. 

